Community Spirit

ATLANTA -- Fulton County Cooperative Extension wants all residents to develop regular physical activity habits, get healthier and have fun while “walking across Georgia”. Daily activities such as walking the dog, going for a jog and playing catch with the kids quickly add up to virtual miles that are used to “walk” across the state.

“We invite all residents who made New Year’s resolutions to get fit and be healthier to join our initiative,” says Menia Chester, Director of Fulton County Cooperative Extension. “Although this event is called Walk Georgia, any form of activity can be logged to track mileage. The primary goal is to get moving.”

ATLANTA -- More than 200 metro Atlanta middle school students attended a peace rally and workshop hosted by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. over the weekend.

The rally was a kickoff for 40 Days of Peace, which begins Monday. 40 Days of Peace is a commitment to kindness and service that encourages young people to follow in the footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

At Saturday's rally, speakers encouraged attendees to stop bullying and stay out of gangs. Police officers gave a presentation on how to interact with law enforcement.

A concurrent workshop for the parents in attendance focused on implementing strategies to keep children safe and on the right track in life.

ATLANTA -- The Fulton Atlanta Community Action Authority (FACAA) recently announced Georgia Gives Day, to take place on Thursday, December 6.

According to the FACAA, Georgia Gives Day gives people across the state an opportunity to donate to their choice of a nonprofit organization, an effort in total to help change the lives of people in need.

Those participating can donate to a cause nearby by searching locations, or to a cause for a special reason, where organizations are listed by category.

More than 2,000 JROTC cadets from 30 metro Atlanta high schoolsto participate in historic fundraising effort

On Saturday, November 3rd and Sunday, November 4th, visitors to metro Atlanta Kroger stores are likely to be met by a smiling, uniformed JROTC cadet with an Empty Stocking Fund logo, as more than 2,000 cadets representing 30 metro Atlanta high schools’ JROTC programs will be working outside metro Kroger stores to raise awareness of and contributions for The Empty Stocking Fund, an Atlanta-based, Atlanta-serving non-profit organization that has been providing holiday gifts to Atlanta’s neediest children since 1926.

ATLANTA -- Fifty schools in Georgia were represented at this year's Mix It Up at Lunch Day.

The event, which is part of the Southern Poverty Law Center's Teaching Tolerance project, encourages children to step outside their comfort zones and sit with someone new at lunch.

"When people step out of their cliques and get to know someone, they realize just how much they have in common," Teaching Tolerance director Maureen Costello said in a statement. "Mix It Up is a positive step that can help create schools where students see each other as individuals and not just as members of a separate group."

Nearly 3,000 schools across the country took part in Mix It Up at Lunch Day on Oct. 30.

Participating Georgia schools include:

AtlantaGalloway SchoolNorth Atlanta HSSchool of Health Sciences and Research at Carver

ATLANTA -- Premier Academy, Inc. will host its annual 2012 Legacy Golf Tournament, providing scholarships for low-income families of preschoolers on Friday, October 26th at Browns Mill Golf Course 480 Cleveland Avenue, Atlanta GA 30354 starting with continental breakfast and shotgun beginning at 8:30am. The cost to participate is $100 per person or $400 per team with proceeds to provide scholarships for early education for low-income families.

ATLANTA -- Fulton County Cooperative Extension will celebrate the end of the second season of the Fulton Fresh Mobile Farmer’s Market on Wednesday, September 12th at the Shrine of the Black Madonna located at 946 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd., SW, Atlanta, GA 30310 from 10:00 am – 11:30 am.

Fulton County Cooperative Extension, in an effort to address health disparities, began the Fulton Fresh Mobile Farmer’s Market Program in 2011. Fulton County residents living in “food deserts." areas with limited access to mainstream grocery stores, are able to get fresh vegetables and nutrition education from the Fulton Fresh mobile units.

In response to public demand, the program added an additional mobile unit to reach more communities. The Fulton Fresh Mobile Farmer’s Market trucks delivered an estimated 8 tons of fresh produce to more than 1,800 residents living in 12 areas identified as food deserts. In 2011, Fulton Fresh provided